Beyond the Veil
by Jaxrond
Summary: Clarissa loved her family, her college career, and her violin performances. She was happy with her life and where she was headed. However, all of that was torn away in an instant. In the same instant that she was thrown into a new world. Grieving, lost, and confused, Clarissa must attempt survive Wonderland's Game and the rules that tie her to it, lest she suffer the consequences.
1. Crash

**Warning: Violent accident ahead.**

* * *

Clarissa's eyes stared dully out the window as the strains of her mother's Elvis music wafted from the speakers in the front of the car. Mounds of grey snow flew by as they sped past, the formerly pristine white stained into its ugly color by the collection of filth mixed into it. Winter was such an ugly season. It started out pure and cool, but, that was gone too quickly. After that, it just became wet and colder than was necessary. She hated it. She hated being bundled up against the cold and having to wear boots to keep her feet dry. Winter really was detestable, with its ugliness and lack of life. Snowy trees flashed by as well, splotches of dark greens and browns against the stained white.

She briefly looked up from the snowy scenery, tired of its dreariness, to see her father's silver hair over the top of his headrest. A cursory glance downward found her parents' hands entwined on the divider between the two front seats. A small smile pulled at Clarissa's lips as her eyes then slid over to the black violin case lying on the seat beside her. Detestable or not, this day could not be ruined. She was to play in a concert at her college, to demonstrate her skill with her violin. She dearly loved playing. Playing the violin enabled her, a natural introvert, to share her feelings a way that did not involve the terrors of speaking face to face. It was how she shared her soul.

A small hand patted the instrument case, drawing her gaze up to its owner. The small dark haired boy grinned at her, his eyes squinting as he displayed his missing teeth.

"You gonna play that weird dubstep stuff again, Clary?" he asked, absently running a hand over the violin case.

Clarissa frowned at him slightly, no appreciating her brother's use of the term 'weird' for the music she loved so much.

"It's not weird, Georgie. It's a beautiful fusion of two different styles of music."

Elvis crooned out the lyrics of "Love Me Tender" in the background as their parents exchanged a look of amusement, unnoticed by their children.

George laughed, patting the violin case.

"That's what you say every time."

She folded her arms and turned up her nose comically, causing him to grin broadly.

"You always make fun of it."

The two of them always got along best, despite their age difference of nearly ten years. Clarissa was supremely introverted and her brother had a form of high-functioning Asperger's, which caused him to be extremely socially awkward. They took solace in each other. Neither of them would judge the other. Clarissa enjoyed whatever made her brother happy, and George constantly tried to get involved with whatever Clarissa was doing in order to relate to her. The symbiotic relationship between them was one rarely seen between siblings with such an age difference.

"It's funny to watch you get mad about it," George giggled.

Clarissa smiled, reaching over to poke him in the side. He twisted, laughing.

"That's not nice, Georgie," she poked him again and he jumped, squirming about, "But, no, I'm playing classical music today."

George caught her hand before she could poke him again, squeezing it in his smaller ones.

"It doesn't matter what you play, Clary," he said, still calming from his giggles, "Everything sounds nice."

Clarissa chuckled, squeezing his hands back.

"Thanks. I'm glad you like it."

The younger sibling nodded earnestly, poking and giggling already forgotten.

"I love it when you play! You always look so happy."

"I am happy when I play," Clarissa's eyes dropped to the violin case briefly, "Hey, when we get home, I'll play something especially for you, okay?"

George's green eyes lit up excitedly and his grip on Clarissa's hand became almost painful as he leaned toward her.

"Really? Just for me? What is it?"

Clarissa smiled at his excitement, pulling the violin case into her lap with her free hand.

"Something I've been writing."

George gave a short, happy laugh. He was one of her biggest supporters when she was composing. He always gave her the confidence needed to write music.

"Awesome! You have to play it! As soon as we get home!"

The pages of music tucked into the violin music seemed to call to her as she glanced down at the case again. Mixed in with her performance music was the song she had written for George. It was while composing that she truly felt alive. When the music was hers and hers alone, not a recreation or performance of another's work. Just her soul poured onto a page, free and pure. She felt herself smiling as she gripped the case. All hers to share.

"Shit!"

The car jerked suddenly and George squeezed her hand so tightly that her bones ground together. She hardly noticed the pain as her head jerked up, eyes finding her father frantically turning the wheel in an attempt to avoid an oncoming pick-up truck that had slid into their lane. The car spun, dragged around by its back end, the truck honked loudly, swerving dangerously about. Neither was able to find traction on the icy road. Clarissa's mother gripped the handle above the door tightly. She cast her eyes back to find her children. Clarissa had instinctively pulled George closer, stretching their seatbelts as she gripped him tightly.

"Hang-"

The truck slammed into the front passenger's side. Metal shrieked and twisted, glass shattered. The car crumpled.

Time seemed to slow.

Clarissa screamed in surprise and fear, unable to do anything but watch as her mother jerked to the side, the crumpling door crushing into her. Her father gripped the wheel as the momentum slammed him sideways. Clarissa's head smashed into the window, whiplash sending it first forward and then back. Pain erupted from the contact point and her vision flickered dangerously. The airbags burst forth too late. George clung to her tightly. The collided cars skidded back across the ice until they slammed into the thick pines that lined the road, compounding the accident. The force of the second collision again slammed Clarissa's head back.

Everything went dark.

* * *

 **Hello, readers! I'm back with yet another story. I recently got back into the Heart no Kuni no Alice series and got the fiction bug, so, I busted something out. I don't really know where this is going since I do have another big project I'm working on (my Magi fic, 'Survivor and Seeker'). I really just wrote this to get the HnKnA bug out of my system so that it isn't harping on my brain while I'm trying to write SaS. Though, as my rebellious mind went and planned most of it out, I'm betting I'll end up writing it at some point.**

 **I guess I'll do this: if you readers decide you want to know what happens and give me** _10 or more reviews_ **, I'll continue. This is one that I'm balanced on the edge about continuing (to continue or not to continue, that is the question). If there's enough interest, I'll go ahead and write it. If not, I'll leave it be (possibly).**

 **I know I kinda come on strong with Clary's relationship with George, but, I figured that, as HnKnA is pretty cliché, a fic in that category would follow to be kind cliché. So, boom, lovable-and-vulnerable-little-brother-with-whom-the-main-character-has-a-strong-relationship no jutsu! As for Clary being possibly Sue-ish...**

 **Guys...**

 **The fic's based off an otome game where the characters are designed to all fall in love with the main character (the self insert) because it's in the 'rules' and not for any true liking of their own. That aside, I do try to write characters who are as realistic as possible. This one is actually kind of a mash-up of traits pulled from people I know, past OC's who never made it to publish-ment, and way too much Lindsey Stirling music (just for those who are curious).**

 **Anywho, enough of me rambling.**

 **Thanks for reading! Please let me know if you'd like to read more about Clary. Reviews are welcome, flames are not. I own Clary, George, their parents, their car, the truck, and my original plot.**


	2. Lonliness

**Warning: Hospitalization and suggestion of severe injury ahead.**

* * *

The voices came in fragments. Gender was indistinguishable. None of them were familiar. Something was rushing in time with the expansion of her lungs. There was a beeping off to the side. A strange cacophony of sounds. She disliked it. She felt disjointed. Fragments of herself floated about. Couldn't listen. Couldn't make sense. She just knew pain. So much pain.

"…survival unlikely…"

She tried to focus. It hurt. She wanted to tell them.

"…parents…on impact..."

The voices faded in and out. Like listening to a faulty speaker.

"…prep…surgery…attempt…"

Her thoughts were a mess. Words made no sense. Nothing made sense. Just the pain.

"…boy…critical…."

Boy? Foggy images floated past. A boy's face. A smile that lit up the world.

 _Georgie…_

Her thoughts began to dim. Everything slowed. The pain faded.

 _Georgie…_

"…losing…!"

Her heart rate felt sluggish.

"Clear!"

 _Georgie…_

Darkness blocked out the pain.

* * *

She woke again. The pain was still there. It was more intense than the first time, though. It hurt in certain areas now. Her left side was a strange mix of numbness and heat. Her head throbbed. Her thoughts were still muddled. But she remembered. She remembered impact. Holding Georgie. Where was Georgie? Where was mother? Where was father? Hazily, she remembered, watching the door twist inward with crushing force. Mother going limp. That was bad, very bad, but she couldn't quite remember why…

The beeping was distracting. Too high, too slow and steady. Ticking was better. Like a clock. Like a metronome. She felt her lips twitch. A metronome timed music. Music was good. Her violin…where was her violin? She wanted to play. She felt so sad and wanted to play to keep those feelings away. Why was she sad? The impact…

That's why it was bad. Crushing kills. Mother was dead.

The beeping sped up. She couldn't breathe.

Someone came in. She couldn't see them, but she heard them, their footsteps. There was another beep. A few seconds later, darkness encroached again.

Loneliness went with consciousness.

* * *

A hand was holding hers. Her right one. She couldn't feel her left one. That side was just numb now. She felt more aware this time, but her thoughts were still not clear. She couldn't open her eyes. It was maddening. Another hand gently stroked her arm. She remained unable to move, merely lying on what she assumed to be a bed, floating in confusion and darkness.

She heard a loud sniff.

"Oh, Clary," her hand was raised and she felt a pair of thin, wrinkled lips kiss the back before it was lowered again, "It'll be alright. We're right here. We'll be right here when you wake up."

The hand squeezed hers.

 _Grandma_.

There was a cough from a little ways off and then another loud sniff. Someone cleared their throat. A man.

 _Grandpa_.

"You'll get better soon, Clary," the hand on her arm continued to stroke over her arm soothingly, "Then you'll have to come live with us. It won't be the same, but we'll get through it," her grandma's voice was soft and gentle, "Georgie will pull through too. We'll be alright. You'll be alright," her voice cracked, "Grandma Williams is with Georgie right now. She was here to see you earlier. She says she loves you, Clary," Grandma's hand squeezed hers again, "We all love you, Clary. We're waiting for you."

There were footsteps and another hand took hers from the first. This one was more weathered and calloused.

"You take your time, Clary girl. You wake up when you're good and ready. Alright?" her grandpa squeezed her hand gently, "We don't mind waiting."

Clary struggled to wake up. To open her eyes and embrace her grandparents. She needed them. Georgie was hurt badly. Mother and father were dead. She needed to be hugged and comforted right now. But, her mind would not allow it and she slipped away again.

 _No…I need them…I'm so alone...it's so dark…_

She was again surrounded by darkness.

* * *

She had begun to dream again. That was a good thing. She didn't remember the last time she'd dreamed. She didn't know how long it had been since she'd done anything but waited in darkness. At least the darkness kept the pain away. But her dreams had returned recently. At least, she thought it was recently. They were just brief flickers, and so very confusing. Still, confusing dreams were better than nothing. Better than that all-consuming, never ending blackness.

She sat in a wide field of flowers, smiling as the wind blew through her hair and ruffled the grass around her. Petals danced in the breeze and the sun shone down on her. A river glinted in the distance. It was the picture of tranquility, a good dream. Georgie sat beside her, flipping through one of her music books. He looked over at her with a grin and she reached over to muss his hair. He laughed as she did so. She had no idea where they were, but it was better than the darkness and loneliness that came with it. And Georgie was there. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she knew that Georgie should be injured, but, he looked fine right now...

Abruptly, the dream changed and Georgie's expression became serious. He placed a hand on the violin case that laid between them. She frowned down at it, surprised. It hadn't been there a moment ago.

"Clary."

She looked at him again, surprised by the sudden sadness on his face. She immediately wanted to reach out to comfort him, to ask what was wrong, but, he continued.

"They'll take you away, Clary."

She felt confused. This wasn't like him. Georgie hated to be sad. He had told her numerous times that he much preferred to smile.

"Who, Georgie?"

He shook his head in answer.

"You said you were lonely. They'll take you away."

She frowned again. He hadn't answered her. And she wasn't sure why her loneliness played into this. Besides, she wasn't lonely right now. She had Georgie. She reached out for him, wanting nothing more than to take the sad look from his face. He caught her hand with the one not touching the violin case.

"I'm not going anywhere, Georgie," she said firmly, moving her hand so that her fingers laced with his.

However, she could not stop the strange fear and apprehension that welled up within her. Why was Georgie so scared? And why did she feel that he was right? She squeezed his hand, already beginning to push those emotions away. She started to smile slightly, thinking of a way to cheer him up. He cut her off again.

"You can't stop them," he said miserably, "You'll have to play the game."

A cold chill went down Clary's spine. The word 'game' struck a chord in her.

"What game, Georgie?"

He looked up at her, his green eyes tearing up. He squeezed her hand almost painfully.

"I'll save you, Clary. I won't let them keep you. You're all I've got now."

Before she could answer, there was a rumble overhead, almost like thunder. Clary looked up quickly, moving to pull Georgie closer. He began to cry softly, the tears in his eyes spilling over.

 _"_ _Did you know?"_

Clary gasped and glanced about, startled by the strange voice. She held George tightly, sure that this strange dream was about to become a nightmare, as dreams tended to do when frightening voices surfaced. The violin case laid, awkwardly squished between them.

 _"_ _Games always have rules."_

Georgie clutched her shirt, muttering vehemently. His head pressed against her shoulder.

"No, you can't have her…you can't take my Clary. She won't play your game!"

Clary squeezed her eyes shut as thunder boomed again, almost in response to Georgie's defiance.

 _"_ _It's decided from the beginning."_

The wind picked up around them, no longer playfully ghosting over them, and the sky darkened above them. Clary's heart raced fearfully. She felt a jolt in her stomach and winced as it expanded painfully. She looked down at the spot and saw nothing wrong externally.

 _"_ _You knew that, right?"_

The wind shrieked around them, but, somehow, that voice penetrated it. Suddenly, Georgie's head snapped up and his wide eyes found hers. His fists clenched her shirt so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He stared at her for a moment. Then, tears still streaming, he whispered something surprisingly clearly.

"I love you, Clary."

The world exploded. Georgie was ripped away from her, sent spiraling into the sudden blast of noise and imagery around her. She screamed after him, but she could not move to follow. She scooped up the violin case, holding it close as her own tears began to fall.

"No…"

The spinning around her sped up.

"Stop…"

The rushing grew louder.

"I don't want to be alone!"

Everything froze. Then, it rushed inward, toward her. Clary closed her eyes, hugging her violin case.

 _Georgie…don't leave me…_

Darkness prevailed once more.

* * *

 **Yay, trippiness. We can assume for those first few sections that Clary was either high as a kite on pain meds or really had just been that damaged and was in that much pain. As for the last section, we could assume that it was more highness but, then we've got Nightmare creepin'. As for Georgie's knowledge of the game and his promise…hmmmm…**

 **So, I know I was like 'I have no clue if I'll do more with this', but, I was in the car (where all great ideas slap me upside the head) and was like '…yup, writing more'. Plus, I found this great song called 'Hey, Alice'. If you type that in on youtube, it's the search result with the thumbnail of the woman with the glowing eye. I had it on repeat last night as I finished this chapter.**

 **So, again, no clue where I'm going with this, but, I saw the two favs/follows and thought I'd give you something. Also, suggestions for shenanegans/plot/who Clary will end up with would be great. I'm kind winging this. The only plot I've got planned out is that specifically revolving around Clary and Georgie and a couple other possible OC's. Other than that, I am, as author Mike Mullen would say, 'pantsing' it (go read his stuff. He's a really cool guy. I had the chance to do a writer's studio that he put on and had dinner with him and stuff.)**

 **Anyways. Sorry about the long author's note. Please, reviews are wonderful. Flames are fuel for marshmallows. Have a nice day~!**


	3. Fear

Birds chirped softly above, their calls mixing with the gentle rush of a breeze among leaves. The air was comfortably cool, warm patches heralding the touch of sunlight through tree boughs. The grass was surprisingly soft and comfortable, not at all itchy in the way grass should be. So peaceful. So wonderfully inviting after so much emotional turmoil and fear. The breeze gently caressed Clarissa's face. Her eyes were closed. She could feel that she was wearing a summer dress and cardigan. She took a deep breath of the clean air, allowing herself to relax for a moment, to simply be before she woke up. It reminded her a great deal of the lakeside house her grandparents owned. They visited every summer, spending the week having cookouts and taking the pontoon out on the lake. Occasionally, they would take grandfather's motorboat out with an intertube. It was the place for family to come and be together. Yes, that's what this was like. A safe, comfortable place. Any moment now, her mother would come looking for her, telling her to stop avoiding her cousins and take part in actual human interaction. She didn't particularly like her cousins. They made fun of Georgie. She would have to run interference to keep them from teasing him for his odd social tendencies.

Georgie's tear streaked face flashed across her mind. She mentally paused. Had they made him cry? No, that wasn't right, they would never go that far. And she had the sensed that this was recent. But what had made him cry so? Something terrible. Something about loneliness….

 _The truck slammed into the front passenger's side. Metal shrieked and twisted, glass shattered. The car crumpled, the passenger's side door crushing inward, into her mother's body._

Clary's eyes snapped open. It made no difference, the scene was playing whether across her closed eyelids or otherwise.

 _Her father gripped the steering wheel as the momentum jerked him sideways. Clary's head connected with her window. She could feel the crack as her vision blurred dangerously. Georgie clung to her tightly, his high child's scream mixing with the shrieking of metal in a horrific cacophony. For a moment, Clary had the terrifying thought that they were going to die._

Her hands gripped her head. She had curled up into a fetal position, her chest heaving as tears streamed down her face and into the grass below. She couldn't remember anything after that. It had gone black. But her mind pulled from what it did remember, running a macabre replay of the door twisting in on her mother. Over and over and over again. A sob stuck in her throat for a moment before finally breaking free in a low whine. The sobs came more quickly once the first one was out. Clary laid in the grass, body shaking with every struggling breath. Tears threatened to choke her. Still, her mind did not allow her to rest. It clawed for every possible memory of the event and dragged it forward. She remembered the voices that had sounded through the darkness

 _"_ _Survival unlikely for the patient…the parents died on impact…prep her for surgery. We'll definitely make the attempt…"_ the previously patchy words had been filled in, perhaps dredged from the recesses of unconscious memory _, "No, the boy is in critical condition…We're losing her! …Clear!"_

She didn't remember a shock. But, she was alive, so, it had worked. She almost wished it hadn't. Georgie had been in critical condition. Had he survived as well?

Grandma. She and Grandpa had been there, in the hospital with her. They would know. Slowly, Clary uncurled herself, reaching out for the weathered hand that had been holding hers in her last truly lucid moment. Surely, she was out of the hospital. Living with them, like grandma had said. They'd taken her to the lake house to recover. They knew how much she loved the copse next to the lake. She had gone out and fallen asleep. Yes, that had to be it. And grandma wouldn't be too far. She wouldn't leave her alone after what had happened. But where was Georgie?

"Grandma…" her voice was a choked croak, "Grandma, Georgie…"

There was no response. Her grasping hand met empty air. No voice replied.

"Grandma?"

Unwillingly, she pushed herself up. She was stiff, like she'd been curled up for too long. How long had she been crying? Reliving those last moments of her parents' lives? Tears blurred her vision. There were trees, just large splotches of brown in her fuzzy perception. It smelled like the copse on her grandparents' property. Woody and natural. It sounded like it. Birdsong filled the air.

"Grandma?"

Her hoarse voice carried a little further. Her hand found a nearby tree and she dragged herself to her bare feet, staggering slightly. Her left side hurt, almost like there was a cut that was healing. She clasped a hand over it as she stood fully. Still there was no reply. Where was grandma? The old woman would normally bring a blanket out and sit with her if the two of them wanted to enjoy the woods. She should be practically right beside her. A few stumbling steps carried Clary forward. She caught hold of another tree and peered around it.

"Grandma?"

No sign of her. Beginning to panic, Clary scrubbed an arm across her eyes, drying her tears. She quickly turned around, looking about a bit more frantically.

"Grandma!"

The call rang out emptily.

 _She isn't here…where is she?_

Clary returned to the place where she'd been laying. There was still no sign that her grandmother had ever been there.

There was, however, something Clary did not expect to see. Lying on the ground just a few feet from where she'd been was her violin case. She stopped where she was, staring at the black shape in the grass. She had missed it in her search for her grandmother. Seeing it now, though, brought a sudden host of images to her mind.

 _"_ _They'll take you away, Clary. You'll have to play their game."_

Clary moved to the violin and dropped down next to it in the grass. Her hands, pale and trembling, fell upon the black casing, trailing over the textured surface. The blades tickled her bare lower legs, where her summer dress left them uncovered.

"Game….Georgie, what game?" she murmured, still sniffing slightly, "Who?"

No reply was given. Georgie was not present. However, the dream had come back to her with surprising clarity. Why had Georgie been so distressed? He had cried. Who was going to take her? What game would they make her play? Why had her being lonely had anything to do with it? Her fingers stroked over the violin case. It had just been a dream, brought on by a mind filled with too much recent trauma. That had to be it. Gandma must have gone inside because Georgie was here with them and needed care as well. Yes, that was it. They'd been playing pretend. He got into the game a little too much sometimes. Someone must have been after her in the game. He'd probably been watching superhero shows on his tablet again. He really liked _Avengers_. And they were always saying things like "Enough games, Loki!". That was it. She gave a tremulous smile, breathing out a brief sigh of relief. That was it. Nothing nefarious was happening. She would just go back and apologize for sleeping too long. She had come out to practice with Grandma, playing to calm them both. Then, they had sat together until the warmth of the sun had gotten to her and she'd fallen asleep. Grandma had left her to sleep because she was worried about her mental state. But Grandma would need time to heal too. They all would. She would go back inside. They needed each other. Especially now.

Suddenly desperate for a hug from her grandmother, Clary gathered up her violin case. She paused a moment to get her bearings. Judging by how the sun was shining through the trees, it was late afternoon. She put the sun at her back and began to walk, still unsteady but able to keep her footing as she wove between the trees. She had only meant to leave Georgie alone for a little while. He was probably concerned. Grandpa would be working with wood constantly. And Grandma would be cooking and knitting. That was how they dealt with difficult things. Grandpa carved and built, grandma knitted and cooked, Clary played, and Georgie found solace in the actions of heroes. It would take time, and the void would never truly be filled, but they would recover.

Clary stopped ten minutes later. At first, she had thought that she had simply ventured deeper in than usual. But, she still hadn't emerged and there was no end in sight. Had she misjudged her direction? No, she knew the lake property like the back of her hand. There was no way she was lost in the copse, it wasn't that large. She slowly turned in a circle. She looked down, frowning in thought. It was then that she realized that she wasn't wearing a summer dress, but a knee-length hospital gown under her long cardigan. Her eyes widened. A hospital gown?

A loud snap startled her out of her confusion. Clary's head whipped around so quickly that her long hair struck her face. Her eyes, wide and startled, searched for the source of the noise. A part of her hoped, and still expected, to see her grandmother or grandfather. She saw no one. Nothing but the trees around her. It was then that she realized that the trees were unfamiliar. They were bigger than those of the lake property. Older and taller. She stared at them. But, if she wasn't on the lake property, where was she?

Another snap caused her to clutch the violin case tightly. She backed up a few steps and bumped into one of the unfamiliar trees. The tears returned as her chest started to rise and fall quickly. A rustle from the same direction of the snap confirmed that something large was near. There was nothing that big, aside from deer, at the lake house. Until this point, the only sounds she'd heard were her own footsteps, birdsong, and the chittering of small rodents. Normal forest noises.

The rustling came again, this time with a soft 'ow', followed by what sounded like a chuckle.

"Don't laugh at me, you asshole! It's your fault we're lost out here to begin with!"

Clary nearly dropped her violin, utterly startled by the unfamiliar voice.

"Aw, don't be mad, Mer. I thought for sure this was the way."

The cheerful male voice was equally unfamiliar. Clary clutched her instrument in a death grip, staring towards the voices. She pressed up against the tree, heart beating quickly in fear.

"You say that every time!" the first voice, that of a young female, sounded quite irate.

The man chuckled again.

"But you always come with me. You're so nice, Mer!"

"You idiot! I didn't go with you willingly! You grabbed my arm and dragged me off, rambling about how this was the right way to the castle! You always drag me whether I want to go or not!" this was followed by a great deal more rustling, "Stop ignoring me and get your head out of that hole! I hope a snake bites your nose off!"

"Ahaha! There are no snakes out here, silly Mer."

Finally, with a sound of utter defeat and annoyance, the woman burst into sight. She stumbled out of some brush that Clary had passed a few yards back. Twigs and leaves were stuck in her hair, standing out starkly against the platinum strands. Her face was one that would make other women weep in envy, full of angles that leant it an exotic beauty. A straight, Roman nose and full lips completed her elegant features. Clary couldn't help but stare. She had a sudden flashback to the first time she'd watched Peter Jackson's _Lord of the Rings_ and how beautiful she'd thought the elves were. This woman, with her angular, elegant face, silky platinum hair, and tall, lithe figure, was just like an elvish princess. If elvish princesses wore red, heart-shaped corset tops and short black, frilly skirts.

"Don't 'Mer' me, you bastard. When we get back, I'm going to kick your ass!"

And if princesses talked like that, with such an angry scowl.

There was more rustling and, a moment later, a man stepped out of the brush next to her. The woman was tall, but her companion seemed to tower over her. He was well over six feet in height. But, while she was elegant, he was…not. His brown hair was fairly short and messy. He was dirty, much like "Mer", but in a more obvious manner. He wore a dark vest and pants under a long red coat, the bottom of which was torn and frayed. Tall black boots and grey gloves completed his ensemble. His clothing reminded Clary of a _Final_ _Fantasy_ character, one that a friend of hers had sworn was the most attractive video game character ever…Genesis Rhapsodos. But he was much different in his body type and facial shape. This man was broad and obviously well-muscled. While his face was that of a young man, he had very expressive eyes and a wide, childish smile.

The man laughed, either not taking his companion's anger seriously or amused by it.

"Come on, Mer, you can't beat-"

There was a loud slap. The man left off, obviously surprised. A red handprint was already visible on his face. Clary couldn't help but gasp. She hadn't even seen the woman move yet she'd managed to deliver a slap that hard? The man hardly seemed phased. His smile cooled just a bit, but, his expression seemed more amused than anything.

"Don't even finish that, you ass," "Mer" seethed.

The man, Ace, pouted. He opened his mouth to reply. But, then, his eyes finally found Clary. He cocked his head curiously, his smile returning, albeit it was a bit less childish. His eyes expressed a blatant curiosity. He seemed to completely forget his previous conversation. Clary shrunk back against the tree, not wanting to be noticed by the strange couple in their strange clothes. He seemed to completely forget his previous conversation. Clary pressed further back against the tree, not wanting to be noticed by the strange couple in their strange clothes.

"Hey, Mer?"

"What, Ace?" the woman asked with an aggravated sigh.

Ace, unaffected by the woman's aggravation with him, raised a hand to point at Clary.

"Do you know her?"

Taken aback by the question, "Mer" frowned and turned. As soon as her gaze found the dark haired girl huddled against a tree, her expression morphed into shock. Clary froze. "Mer" seemed unable to move for a moment, her reply coming automatically.

"No."

Clary stared at them, a deer caught in the figurative headlights. Her muscles tensed.

"Really?" the man mused curiously, smirking slightly.

Without a second thought, "Mer" left her companion and hurried towards Clary, looking concerned now. Her skirts were short enough that she didn't have to gather them in order to move quickly. Her approach finally snapped Clary out of her initial shock at seeing the odd couple. Clutching her violin, she bolted, a natural instinct in the face of confusion and fear. The woman called after her, telling her to wait. Clary paid her no mind. She had no doubts now. This was not the lake property. She was somewhere strange, away from her grandparents and Georgie. Her feet flew over the ground as she ducked between the trees. She'd never been a particularly athletic person, but, she could run. At least for a while. Still, she was already hurting in her side. It smarted again, the pain much worse this time.

"Ace! Don't let her get away!"

Her breath was already coming quickly as she heard the two give chase. She didn't know them. She didn't know where she was. She didn't know what was going on. Tears clouded her vision as she fled. Where was Georgie? Where was her family? Why was she alone again?

"Hey!" the woman shouted behind her, "Stop! We're not going to hurt you!"

For some reason, Clary couldn't bring herself to believe her. She continued to run, the violin case weighing her down. She wouldn't let it go, though. It was precious. She glanced off a tree, wincing at the new pain but continuing on nonetheless. It would take more than that to stop her. She didn't know where she was going, but, there had to be somewhere that she could hide and figure things out. Or a place nearby with people less shady than the two chasing her.

A crash behind her told her that the man was gaining. It had to be him. The woman was too lithe to produce such a crash. She wasn't surprised, he seemed the athletic type. But, the thought terrified her. She couldn't be caught by these strange people with their talks of castles and their odd clothing. They couldn't be sane. Surely there was a town or something nearby. Somewhere that she could contact the police and figure out what was going.

She burst through the treeline, her left side starting to burn continuously with pain. She continued to push, though, tearing across the stretch of openness that led up to the gate of a tall, imposing tower. Clary nearly tripped in her surprise. A tower? In the middle of a clearing in the woods? How had she not seen that before? It was monstrous, a monumental white building surrounded by four smaller towers. Regardless of the oddness, it was the first edifice she'd seen. Surely there was someone there who could help her. The white structure spoke of great importance, rising up into the sky imposingly. Someone with power had to be there, considering the wall around the place. Maybe even the police. Anyone who could help her.

 _Please…_

She heard her pursuers leave the forest behind her but dared not look back.

"Haha! She ran right for the tower!" he paused, "Should I stop her?"

"Ace…you idiot!" the woman gasped, out of breath from the chase, "Put your sword away!"

 _Sword!?_

Clary put on a burst of speed, utterly terrified of these strange people who were chasing her. Her bare feet seemed to barely touch the grass in her haste. There was no way she was letting herself get cut down by some crazy man with a sword. She had to get back to Georgie. She had her grandparents to think of too. She couldn't die and leave them. Panting for breath, she quickly took the steps two at a time. There were a great number, but, she was determined in her escape. Her lungs burned as she struggled for air. Her left side screamed in pain. She wanted nothing more than to stop, but, she could hear her pursuers gaining on her.

Just as she cleared the top step and took a stride, a hand clamped around her upper arm.

"Gotcha!"

Clary cried out in a mixture of pain, surprise, and despair as she was yanked back. The man in red, Ace, had caught her. He looked very pleased with himself as he pulled her back, away from the tower she'd been fleeing to.

Behind him, the blonde woman came huffing and puffing up the stairs. She was red faced from their mad dash as she sucked in air.

"Ace! Don't hurt her!"

The man looked over at his counterpart, blinking innocently. Clary took advantage of his distraction. Without really thinking about it, she swung the violin case, smacking him in the head. He grip on her loosened, though he seemed more surprised than pained. Clary ripped away from him and took off running again, tearing down the path towards the door.

"Hey!" the man called, recovering from the shock her fighting back.

Clary felt tears sting her eyes. She wasn't going to make it. The man in red was going to catch her. The one with the sword and the smile and the oddly cold spark in his eye.

 _Georgie…my Georgie…_

The little boy's happy laughter rang in her ears as his face passed before her eyes. She had to get back to him. He was all alone, without mother or father. He needed her!

Up ahead, the huge double doors of the tower began to swing open. Relief flooded Clary's heart. They creaked as they opened outward, the sheer weight pulling at the hinges. As soon as the opening was big enough for a person to fit through, a figure emerged from the darkness within, moving fast. As Clary neared, she could see that it was a woman with long hair the color of autumn leaves. She wore a rather concerned expression. A motherly expression. Her clothes, too, bespoke comfort. A green sweater and a pair of loose fitting pants. Her hair was pulled back from her face in a messy way, like she'd just needed to get it out of her face. Everything about her put Clary at ease. This was the person she'd been looking for. Surely, a woman who _looked_ this kind could help her.

The violin case was clutched in one hand as Clary hurried towards her. The hospital gown pulled uncomfortably at her legs with each stride. She was hot, sweat running down her face. Her lungs burned from lack of oxygen. She needed to reach her. She needed help.

The woman came within earshot, frowning deeply as she jogged towards them.

"Ace! Meredith!" she shouted loudly enough that her voice echoed between the towers, "Stop right there!"

Clary pulled up short, not sure what would happen now. Or what to do with herself, really. She glanced back, panting, to see that her pursuers had stopped. That was surprising. Ace seemed mildly put out that the chase had ceased, but, he was smiling all the same. Meredith scowled at the newcomer, her blue eyes narrowed. A breeze blew past them, whipping her silvery hair around. Whatever authority the woman had, the blonde did not enjoy it. Or adhere to it beyond a basic level, it seemed.

"Liana," she called back, annoyed, "This is none of your business!"

Clary turned her head to look at the other woman, Liana, to see her reaction. She jolted when she saw that the woman was much closer now. She had moved quickly and silently, appearing at Clary's side like she'd teleported. To Clary's surprise, the woman moved in front of her, placing herself between Clary and her pursuers at a slight diagonal, giving her new ward a partial view of her face. Liana was taller than her by a goodly amount and used that to her advantage, blocking the younger woman almost completely from view. Clary stared at her, utterly surprised. And relieved. She'd found help. Even more than she thought she would.

"You chased her into a neutral territory. As one of the residents here, it _is_ my business," Liana placed a hand on her hip, the other sliding up to her throat to grasp the odd lizard pendent on her necklace

"Boo!" Ace protested childishly, "But we saw her first!"

He had yet to put his sword away. He looked quite imposing, wearing his red coat with his sword in hand. Clary felt a brief flash of worry for Liana. The woman had stepped in to save her, but, what would the consequences be with this man? Meredith folded her arms under her bodice, looking no less like a model than she had previously. The lacing across her corseted did nothing to stop her breasts from pushing up in a manner that caused the knight to cast a glance her way.

"She goes back to Heart Castle with us."

Liana's grip on the pendant tightened. Clary's eyes were wide as she remained unmoving, her violin case hanging limply in her grasp.

"I don't thin, so."

Meredith's pretty lips twisted in a smirk that did not sit well on her face.

"What? You're going to take the poor confused thing inside with the lizard and the caterpillar? Oh, that will work out well," every word of the last sentence dripped with sarcasm.

Clary's brows pulled into a frown. This was making no sense. Why were they fighting over her like this?

 _And what about a lizard and caterpillar?_

"That was the general idea, yes," Liana replied in a rather deadpan tone, "She'll be just fine here. Safer, in fact, without the threat of the Queen…or the Knight," her eyes shifted to Ace, who merely continued to smile, though, this one didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I would never do anything unknightly," he protested cheerfully, "You know that, Liana."

Liana seemed to doubt that, if her deadpan expression was anything to go by. With a sigh, she reached around to undo her necklace.

"It's against the rules to spill blood in a neutral territory…but, we foreigners are not bound by the rules," she held out her closed fist, the pendent clutched in it, "I'll tell you one last time: leave. Or I will not hesitate."

Ace's smile grew. He seemed almost excited. By what? What was happening? Neutral? Spilling _blood_? Clary's eyes darted between Liana and the two in red. Meredith's eyes were widened just slightly.

"You wouldn't…"

"Wouldn't let you take this newcomer away without breaking this gently to her? You're right. I've promised to ensure that all new players receive ample explanations. I won't have the girl stumbling about like Alice had to. Or like you did when you refused my help. Leave her be, Meredith. You've played your game. Don't interfere with hers."

 _Game? New player?_

The word resonated within Clary. Georgie's voice whispered it to her in warning.

Meredith's eyes narrowed again, dangerous and angry.

"…Fine. You can explain the game. But, I still hold that we of Hearts Castle found her first."

"That doesn't mean that you get to keep her like some sort of lost toy!" Liana burst out at the same time that Ace pouted at Meredith, "Awww, Mer, you're giving up too easy!"

Clary's head was starting to hurt. These people were fighting over her like she was some sort of possession. Though, Liana seemed to be asserting that she was not. Her side throbbed painfully, leading her to clutch it. She still didn't know why the other two wanted her. Or really why Liana was standing up for her. She felt suddenly very tired. She blinked furiously, needing to keep her eyes open. She didn't feel inclined to surrender herself to these people unconscious. But, the pressure grew. She was so unbearably tired. She had run so far so fast. It was exhausting. She was worn out emotionally from crying, too. And she was so confused. Sleep was much simpler.

 _Sleep._

The thought was not her own. In fact, it came to her in a surprisingly masculine voice. Nonetheless, Clary's eyes fell shut and she pitched to the side. Liana gave a cry of alarm and whirled to catch her, barely making it in time. Then, Clary was again gone.

* * *

 **I was reading the manga again and had forgotten just how much I love Ace. He's adorkable sometimes. Aaaanywho. There was the introduction of two new OCs, one of whom obviously resides at Heart Castle and the other at Clover Tower. Brownie points to anyone who can guess who convinced Liana to stay in Wonderland at the end of her game ;). As I said in earlier chapters, this thing will get updated as the fancy strikes me. I've got it plotted but, unless it gets a decent response, I'm kinda 'meh' about it. If you'd like more, leave a review and I'll get going on it again if possible :). Thanks for reading.**


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